Fuel-supply system fob ih tebn al-combtrstion  engines



E I INVENTORS'.

C. 0. HOFFMANN AND W. A. Mc'KINNO N. FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

- APPLICATION FILED OCT-18,1917- I 1,395,412. Patented Nov. 1,1921.

WITNESS:

A TTORNEY-S.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE O. HOFFMANN AND WILLIAM A. MGKINNON, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

FUEL-SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR INTERN AL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

Application filed October 18, 1917. Serial No. 197,227.

To allwhom itmay concern:

Be it known that we, CLAnnNon O. Horr- MANN and WILLIAM A. MoKINNoN, citizens of the United States-of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of l/Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Supply Systems for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to the fuel supply system for internal combustion engines, and has special reference to engines or motors forming the power plant of motor driven or self propelled vehicles.

Our invention aims to provide a fuel supply system wherein fuel, as kerosene, is uti-. lized as the cooling agent in lieu of water, in the usual jacket of the engine or motor, circulated through the usual radiator to be cooled thereby, conducted from the top of the radiator to the carbureter and there to form an explosive mixture for the engine or motor.

Our invention further aims to utilize kerosene as a cooling agent and as fuel, and as a fuel it may be used in conjunction with gasolene or some other fuel.

The invention is hereinafter specifically described and then claimed and reference will now be had to the drawing, showing a perspective view of a portion of a motor driven vehicle provided with a fuel supply ing system in accordance with our invention.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of a vehicle which by the way of an example may be a motor truck, having an internal combustion engine 2 provided with an exhaust manifold 3 and an intake manifold 4;, said intake manifold being connected to a carbureter 5 of a conventional form adapted to supply fuel to the cylinders of the engine 2.

The motor truck also has a conventional form of radiator or cooling device 6 and the radiator has the usual connections 7 with the jacket of the engine 2 so that the contents of the radiator 6 or a suitable cooling agent may be circulated through the jacket of the engine about the cylinders and other parts thereof to cool the same. The elements thus far described are of the ordinary and well known type found in connection with many motor vehicles.

Our invention resides in providing a suitable fuel tank 8 having a filling connection 9 so that'fuel, as kerosene, may be placed in the tank. It is essential that this tank be at an elevation above the upper chamber 10 of the radlator, and in some instances the tank may be placed under a seat of the truck or under the hood or cowl thereof, but has been shown, for the sake of clearness as being suitably supported above the dash of the motor truck.

The bottom of the tank 8 is connected by a plpe 15 and a coupling 11 to a pipe 12 elitending into the upper chamber 10 of the radiator, and the pipe 12 is provided with a conventional form of float controlled outlet valve 13. This valve is necessarily located at one side of the radiator so that the float and float arm 14 of the valve may have sufficient clearance in the chamber 10 to open and close said valve.

The upper chamber 10 of the radiator is also connected by a pipe or tube 16 to the carburetor 5 and said pipe or tube is provided with a shut off valve 17, which permits of the carbureter using other fuel, as gasolene without depending on fuel from the chamber 10 of the radiator 6.

With the tank 8 filled with kerosene, the kerosene will flow by gravity to the valve 13 and the float within the chamber 10 of the radiator will maintain a predetermined quantity of kerosene within the radiator and the jackets of the engine 2, the kerosene servin g the same as water for cooling the engine. As the warm kerosene will accumulate in the upper chamber of the radiator, it is conducted from this chamber to the carburetor,

where it is utilized as fuel for the engine 2.

From the foregoing it will be observed that it is not necessary to carry a supply of water for cooling the engine; that the kerosene will be heated and placed in better condition to be vaporized, and that the entire device can be easily and quickly installed in connection with the present power plants of vehicles.

One embodiment of our invention has been illustrated, but it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within thescope of the appended claim.

What we claim is In a motor vehicle power plant which includes a radiator having a hollow upper chamber, an engine having a jacket communioating With the radiator, and a carbureter adapted to supply fuel to the engine, means for utilizing the fuel for cooling the engine and for utilizing the heat of the engine to raise the temperature of the fuel prior to its admission to the cylinder, comprising a fuel tank placed at a higher level than the level at which liquid is to be maintained in the radiator, a pipe connected to said tank and extending to the upper chamber of the radiator, a float controlled valve for said pipe Within the upper chamber of the radiator, adapted to maintain the fuel at a substantially constant level within the radiator and a pipe connecting the top of the radiator below the fuel level with said carbureter to conduct Warm fuel thereto.

In testimony whereof We ailix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

CLARENCE O. HOFFMANN. WILLIAM A. MCKINNON. Witnesses:

KARL H. BUTLER, ANNA M. Donn. 

